Breaking News

Mobility Scooter River Rescue

Published
by
the Pirate FM News Team
at
11:48am 6th January 2015
(Updated 6:07am 7th January 2015)

A man in his nineties has been pulled to safety, after his mobility scooter plunged fifteen feet from the quay at Truro and onto the river bed.

Fire crews could be seen trying to get a man to safety from the mud at low tide.

Coastguards and paramedics were also standing by at Garras Wharf.

Emergency crews were called at around 10.50am on Tuesday morning.

They included a specialist water rescue team from Falmouth, as well as the aerial ladder platform.

It is thought that was used to winch him back onto dry land.

There is no word on how badly he is hurt.

Fire engines from Truro and St Austell were brought in as back-up.

An eyewitness told Pirate FM he could see more than 30 emergency personnel: "The person was lifted out by the crane successfully. Luckily it's low tide."

A spokesperson for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: "On arrival crews discovered the casualty still within his motorised scooter in the mud and water.

"Extraction was carried out using the aerial platform ladder due to the difficult access and the gentleman was then left in the care of the ambulance service and transported to hospital by land ambulance."

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police added: "The man in his 90s, from Truro, was rescued from the mud by the fire service shortly before midday and was taken by ambulance to The Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske.